Arts & Entertainment

Norcross Art Fest Spotlight: Shawn Gant

The fused glass artist will be among the 150-plus artists in Norcross Art Fest for 2012.

The Norcross Art Fest is just around the corner for Oct. 6-7, and Norcross Patch is profiling different vendors for the 2012 festival.

Shawn Gant is a fused glass artist who makes colorful pieces of work, many of them depicting abstract faces. Before the fest, Patch asked her about her inspiration, pieces of work and heroes.

Under what genre is your art classified as? Glass - Fused Glass

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How would you describe your art to a complete stranger? I fuse glass. I take a few or hundreds of pieces of glass, always in a variety of bright, transparent and opaque colors and bring them lovingly together in an abstract way. The result is something that's creative, surprising, just barely controlled and always fun.

How long have you been producing art? I have been fusing glass for almost 10 years now.

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How did you first get started in art? During a really difficult point in my life I was told I needed a hobby. I went and took a stained glass art class. It became apparent very quickly that stained glass is much more exact in it's execution and look than I am typically since I tend to think outside the box . My next class was a fused glass class. Fusing glass gave my the opportunity to work outside the lines and create something that was much more fluid and fun.

Who are your art heroes? My mom. When her peer's decor and art work mirrored each other, my mother's was always a bit edgy, stylish and fun. She has a wonderful way of putting colors together and they were never just blue or dark pink but cobalt and raspberry.

My college professor. I have had a few pieces of advice that have profoundly impacted my life. One piece came from my Professor, Mrs, Hogan, "always look for what's different." This has enabled me to become the master at finding things in a moments notice to shaping how I express myself in my art.

What inspires you? Color ... but most of all my husband. Besides being the best individual that I could ever have at my side he is my muse. He has a quirky and creative way at looking at things. I tend to tilt my head and think about what he's just said or shown me and voila. I'm looking at something fresh and new to create. 

What is your favorite piece in your own collection? Why? It always seems to be my most recent piece. I just finished a family of four children ranging in ages from 9 to19. The oldest had recently passed away unexpectedly. Here are these four kids, all bright, vibrant and off beat in their look and colors. The oldest is in the middle with a  pair of transparent  iridescent wings that encompasses all four of them. To look at them I find myself smiling yet somehow very humbled. My own children as my cherubs and couldn't help but think of that as I was creating this piece.

Do you have a website? chezgant.com, and I can be reached at shawn@chezgant.com.

Where do you live? Alpharetta.

Are you a full-time artist, or do you have another occupation? 

By day I am a Media Broker and by night  I say I am a mad scientist working down in my basement lab concocting all forms of craziness.

How many times has your art been featured in the Norcross Art Fest? Twice

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See also:

  • Norcross Art Fest Spotlight: Toni Macri-Reiner
  • Are You Ready for Norcross Arts Fest 2012?
  • Norcross Art Fest Needs You!

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